Apps curb sketchy shopping

Monday

Oct 14, 2013 at 6:00 AMOct 14, 2013 at 10:57 AM

By Clive McFarlane, TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF

A year ago, Darcy Burner, a Democrat running for a seat in Washington's 1st Congressional District, floated the idea of consumers checking the power of big money by using a smartphone app to identify the businesses behind the their daily purchases.

Ms. Burner, a Harvard University graduate with a bachelor's degree in computer science, understood the power of such technology, particularly in the political arena where billionaires like the Koch brothers are spending heavily in local and national elections and political causes.

To Ms. Burner, consumers who are opposed to the money the Koch brothers are pouring into politics, for example, should know that when they place items such as Brawny paper towels, Dixie cups and Angel Soft toilet paper in their shopping carts, they are putting money into the pockets of the Koch brothers, courtesy of Georgia-Pacific, a subsidiary of Koch Industries.

Since her plea, at least one app, "Buycott," has hit the market, and according to the company's website, "When you use Buycott to scan a product, it will look up the product, determine what brand it belongs to, and figure out what company owns that brand."

If you are participating in a boycott campaign, the app will "cross-check the product owners against the companies and brands included in the campaigns you've joined, in order to tell you if the scanned product conflicts with one of your campaign commitments."

Consumer advocates such as Deirdre Cummings, legislative director for Boston-based MASSPIRG, believe the advent of this technology increases a consumer's influence in daily marketplace transactions.

Buycott and similar apps, she believes, will compliment MASSPIRG's work. The group, among its many campaigns and legislative initiatives, pressures corporations about spending on political campaigns and supports legislative action such as the Shareholder Protection Act, a bill that would require corporations to seek the approval of shareholders before spending on "electoral politics."

"This is a great example of technology that will help to empower consumers to make more informed choices when they shop," Ms. Cummings said.

"This is just one component to level the playing field. The marketplace works well for both businesses and for consumers when there is equal access and free flow of information. In a lot of ways we are still in the dark about the products that we buy, and this will raise the shade and let some sunlight in."

In addition to tracing the businesses behind a product, apps can provide consumers with health or lifestyle information, such as whether a product's ingredients are natural or genetically modified. Overall, this technology will re-orient the marketplace to the preferences of the consumers as opposed to the current tilt toward corporations controlling both the supply and the demand of the products being sold, Ms. Cummings said.

She also noted that technology that helps consumers contrast prices and discern the origin and content of the products they purchase, in turn provides feedback to businesses and stimulates activities in the marketplace that better serve the consumer.

For example, if there aren't enough or any businesses to meet the preferences of consumers, new businesses will be opened to meet the demand. Businesses that are heavily boycotted will have to adjust or close operations, she said.

"The cards are still stacked against consumers, but the changes in technology will enhance and improve their choices and what is important to them," Ms. Cummings said.